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the table and sits down on the bench in the colonnade。
CLEOPATRA。 Why do you allow Rufio to treat you so？ You should
teach him his place。
CAESAR。 Teach him to be my enemy； and to hide his thoughts from
me as you are now hiding yours。
CLEOPATRA （her fears returning）。 Why do you say that； Caesar？
Indeed； indeed； I am not hiding anything。 You are wrong to treat
me like this。 （She stifles a sob。） I am only a child； and you
turn into stone because you think some one has been killed。 I
cannot bear it。 （She purposely breaks down and weeps。 He looks at
her with profound sadness and complete coldness。 She looks up to
see what effect she is producing。 Seeing that he is unmoved； she
sits up； pretending to struggle with her emotion and to put it
bravely away。） But there： I know you hate tears： you shall not be
troubled with them。 I know you are not angry； but only sad； only
I am so silly； I cannot help being hurt when you speak coldly。 Of
course you are quite right： it is dreadful to think of anyone
being killed or even hurt； and I hope nothing really serious
has （Her voice dies away under his contemptuous penetration。）
CAESAR。 What has frightened you into this？ What have you done？ （A
trumpet sounds on the beach below。） Aha！ That sounds like the
answer。
CLEOPATRA （sinking back trembling on the bench and covering her
face with her hands）。 I have not betrayed you； Caesar： I swear
it。
CAESAR。 I know that。 I have not trusted you。 （He turns from her；
and is about to go out when Apollodorus and Britannus drag in
Lucius Septimius to him。 Rufio follows。 Caesar shudders。） Again；
Pompey's murderer！
RUFIO。 The town has gone mad； I think。 They are for tearing the
palace down and driving us into the sea straight away。 We laid
hold of this renegade in clearing them out of the courtyard。
CAESAR。 Release him。 （They let go his arms。） What has offended
the citizens； Lucius Septimius？
LUCIUS。 What did you expect； Caesar？ Pothinus was a favorite of
theirs。
CAESAR。 What has happened to Pothinus？ I set him free； here； not
half an hour ago。 Did they not pass him out？
LUCIUS。 Ay； through the gallery arch sixty feet above ground；
with three inches of steel in his ribs。 He is as dead as Pompey。
We are quits now； as to killingyou and I。
CAESAR。 （shocked）。 Assassinated！our prisoner； our guest！
（He turns reproachfully on Rufio） Rufio
RUFIO （emphaticallyanticipating the question）。 Whoever did it
was a wise man and a friend of yours （Cleopatra is qreatly
emboldened）； but none of US had a hand in it。 So it is no use to
frown at me。 （Caesar turns and looks at Cleopatra。）
CLEOPATRA （violentlyrising）。 He was slain by order of the Queen
of Egypt。 I am not Julius Caesar the dreamer； who allows every
slave to insult him。 Rufio has said I did well： now the others
shall judge me too。 （She turns to the others。） This Pothinus
sought to make me conspire with him to betray Caesar to Achillas
and Ptolemy。 I refused； and he cursed me and came privily to
Caesar to accuse me of his own treachery。 I caught him in the
act； and he insulted meME； the Queen！ To my face。 Caesar would
not revenge me： he spoke him fair and set him free。 Was I right
to avenge myself？ Speak； Lucius。
LUCIUS。 I do not gainsay it。 But you will get little thanks from
Caesar for it。
CLEOPATRA。 Speak； Apollodorus。 Was I wrong？
APOLLODORUS。 I have only one word of blame； most beautiful。 You
should have called upon me； your knight； and in fair duel I
should have slain the slanderer。
CLEOPATRA （passionately）。 I will be judged by your very slave；
Caesar。 Britannus： speak。 Was I wrong？
BRITANNUS。 Were treachery； falsehood； and disloyalty left
unpunished； society must become like an arena full of wild
beasts； tearing one another to pieces。 Caesar is in the wrong。
CAESAR （with quiet bitterness）。 And so the verdict is against me；
it seems。
CLEOPATRA （vehemently）。 Listen to me； Caesar。 If one man in all
Alexandria can be found to say that I did wrong； I swear to have
myself crucified on the door of the palace by my own slaves。
CAESAR。 If one man in all the world can be found； now or forever；
to know that you did wrong； that man will have either to conquer
the world as I have； or be crucified by it。 （The uproar in the
streets again reaches them。） Do you hear？ These knockers at your
gate are also believers in vengeance and in stabbing。 You have
slain their leader： it is right that they shall slay you。 If you
doubt it； ask your four counselors here。 And then in the name of
that RIGHT （He emphasizes the word with great scorn。） shall I not
slay them for murdering their Queen； and be slain in my turn by
their countrymen as the invader of their fatherland？ Can Rome do
less then than slay these slayers too； to show the world how Rome
avenges her sons and her honor？ And so； to the end of history；
murder shall breed murder； always in the name of right and honor
and peace； until the gods are tired of blood and create a race
that can understand。 （Fierce uproar。 Cleopatra becomes white with
terror。） Hearken； you who must not be insulted。 Go near enough to
catch their words： you will find them bitterer than the tongue of
Pothinus。 （Loftily wrapping himself up in an impenetrable
dignity。） Let the Queen of Egypt now give her orders for
vengeance； and take her measures for defense； for she has
renounced Caesar。 （He turns to go。）
CLEOPATRA （terrified； running to him and falling on her knees）。
You will not desert me； Caesar。 You will defend the palace。
CAESAR。 You have taken the powers of life and death upon you。 I
am only a dreamer。
CLEOPATRA。 But they will kill me。
CAESAR。 And why not？
CLEOPATRA。 In pity
CAESAR。 Pity！ What！ Has it come to this so suddenly； that nothing
can save you now but pity？ Did it save Pothinus？
She rises； wringing her hands； and goes back to the bench in
despair。 Apollodorus shows his sympathy with her by quietly
posting himself behind the bench。 The sky has by this time become
the most vivid purple； and soon begins to change to a glowing
pale orange； against which the colonnade and the great image show
darklier and darklier。
RUFIO。 Caesar： enough of preaching。 The enemy is at the gate。
CAESAR （turning on him and giving way to his wrath）。 Ay； and what
has held him baffled at the gate all these months？ Was it my
folly； as you deem it； or your wisdom？ In this Egyptian Red Sea
of blood； whose hand has held all your heads above the waves？
（Turning on Cleopatra） And yet； When Caesar says to such an one；
〃Friend； go free；〃 you； clinging for your little life to my
sword； dare steal out and stab him in the back？ And you； soldiers
and gentlemen； and honest servants as you forget that you are；
applaud this assassination； and say 〃Caesar is in the wrong。〃 By
the gods； I am tempted to open my hand and let you all sink into
the flood。
CLEOPATRA （with a ray of cunning hope）。 But； Caesar； if you do；
you will perish yourself。
Caesar's eyes blaze。
RUFIO （greatly alarmed）。 Now； by great Jove； you filthy little
Egyptian rat； that is the very word to make him walk out alone
into the city and leave us here to be cut to pieces。
（Desperately； to Caesar） Will you desert us because we are a
parcel of fools？ I mean no harm by killing： I do it as a dog
kills a cat； by instinct。 We are all dogs at your heels； but we
have served you faithfully。
CAESAR （relenting）。 Alas； Rufio； my son； my son： as dogs we are
like to perish now in the streets。
APOLLODORUS （at his post behind Cleopatra's seat）。 Caesar； what
you say has an Olympian ring in it： it must be right； for it is
fine art。 But I am still on the side of Cleopatra。 If we must
die； she shall not want the devotion of a man's heart nor the
strength of a man's arm。
CLEOPATRA （sobbing）。 But I don't want to die。
CAESAR （sadly）。 Oh； ignoble； ignoble！
LUCIUS （coming forward between Caesar and Cleopatra）。 Hearken to
me； Caesar。 It may be ignoble； but I also mean to live as long as
I can。
CAESAR。 Well； my friend； you are likely to outlive Caesar。 Is it
any magic of mine； think you； that has kept your army and this
whole city at bay for so long？ Yesterday； what quarrel had they
with me that they should risk their lives against me？ But to…day
we have flung them down their hero； murdered； and now every man
of them is set upon clearing out this nest of assassinsfor such
we are and no more。 Take courage then； and sharpen your sword。
Pompey's head has fallen； and Caesar's head is ripe。
APOLLODORUS。 Does Caesar despair？
CAESAR （with infinite pride）。 He who has never hoped can never
despair。 Caesar； in good or bad fortune； looks his fate in the
face。
LUCIUS。 Look it in the face； then； and it will smile as it always
has on Caesar。
CAESAR （with involuntary haughtiness）。 Do you presume to
encourage me？
LUCIUS。 I offer you my services。 I will change sides if you will
have me。
CAESAR （suddenly coming down to earth again； and looking sharply
at him； divining that there is something behind the offer）。 What！
At this point？
LUCIUS （firmly）。 At this point。
RUFIO。 Do you suppose Caesar is mad； to trust you？
LUCIUS。 I do not ask him to trust me until he is victorious。 I
ask for